United Firefighters Union urges members to snub Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission review

FIREFIGHTERS have been told to ignore a review into gender diversity, bullying and discrimination in the MFB, amid claims of perceived bias.

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall. Picture: Tim Carrafa

FIREFIGHTERS have been told to ignore a review into gender diversity, bullying and discrimination in the MFB.

The United Firefighters Union has sent a bulletin to its members telling them the review by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission was not in their best interests.

The union has also accused the commission of lacking independence and having been tainted with a perception of bias.

“The UFU does not accept that this review is independent or a genuine attempt by the fire services to investigate these matters which were raised in a general manner by the Fire Services Review report in March this year,” the memo said.

“We are also greatly concerned that there does not appear to be any controls or protections in place to ensure full and frank reporting and validation of the outcomes.

“For all these reasons, the UFU is strongly of the view that it is not in members’ interest to participate in the VEOHRC Review.”

The Union accused MFB and CFA management of orchestrating a campaign in which MFB and CFA firefighters “have been systematically and consistently vilified”.

“We have good grounds to believe that the MFB and CFA management have orchestrated this campaign in conjunction with media outlets, the Liberal Party and other third parties in an attempt to lower the standing of firefighters in the community.”

The State Government called in the human rights commission after the Fire Services Review found a lack of gender equality, a poor culture and bullying in the MFB and CFA.

The Union is refusing to take part and has engaged a university to hold its own review.

It accused the human rights commission of lacking independence and said its conduct was “at the very least tainted with the perception of bias” because it had provided a report to the CFA during its dispute with the union over the EBA.

In a separate bulletin to MFB Corp and Tech staff the UFU told members it had lodged a dispute with the Fair Work Commission over negotiations for a new EBA for corporate staff.

The union said the MFB had “continually ignored” workers’ requests for a rostered day off every two weeks, giving them a nine-day fortnight.

It also said the deal for a 3.25 per cent pay rise, should be rejected because it went beyond the next state election, to be held in just over two years, because it meant the union would not be able to renegotiate another pay increase in that time.

“The MFB offer is also contingent on members agreeing to a four-year agreement which prevents you renegotiating fair pay increases and conditions until after the next Victorian State election,” it said.

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